Funds Granted for Revitalization Project in Downtown Elmira

Posted June 10, 2016

Housing Visions Consultants, Inc., a leading nonprofit developer of affordable housing, has been awarded $11.5 million by New York State’s Office of Homes & Community Renewal. The funding will support a total of three affordable housing projects, two in Syracuse and one in Elmira, New York. The three projects will add 114 affordable housing units to the Housing Visions’ portfolio and will grow its footprint to include its 15th community in Upstate New York and Pennsylvania.

“There’s a tremendous need for high quality affordable housing in these communities as well as a tremendous need for investment to remove blight and stabilize these neighborhoods,” says Kenyon Craig, President and CEO of Housing Visions. “We are proud of each of these projects and the impact they will make and the families and individuals they will serve.”

Ethel T. Chamberlain House is an $8 million supportive housing development which will completely rehabilitate a vacant four-story, 26,000 sq. ft., former Greater Syracuse Land Bank property on Onondaga Boulevard in Syracuse. Partnering with the Salvation Army, this project will provide a 15-bed women’s shelter on the first floor featuring communal living, dining and bathroom facilities. The upper three floors will house 16 permanent supportive housing rental units for homeless women and their families, with resident referrals from The Salvation Army. The Ethel T. Chamberlain House will have onsite case managers and a resident manager to help coordinate services for its residents. This project received $2.19 million from Homes and Community Renewal with additional funds from HHAP, State and Federal History Credits and HTFC.

Butternut Crossing is a $15.5 million mixed income, mixed use revitalization project on Syracuse’s Northside. This development is part of a larger neighborhood revitalization project, born from a unique community collaboration between the Greater Syracuse Land Bank, the Northeast Hawley Development Association (NEHDA), the Syracuse Northeast Community Center, Home Headquarters and Housing Visions. Butternut Crossing will feature 53 quality housing rental units for low- and moderate- income households. The project will transform 16 currently vacant and abandoned properties into five new construction multi-family homes and a single complete rehab. The project will also feature 3,870 sq. ft. of commercial space. Butternut Crossing received $5.4 million from Homes and Community Renewal, including $1.03 million in annual Low income Housing Tax Credits with additional funds from the Housing Trust Fund, HOME funds and Community Investment Funds.

Chemung Crossing is a $15 million mixed-use revitalization project in downtown Elmira. This project will transform 10 vacant and abandoned properties into six new construction multi-family homes and two complete history rehab. A total of 45 quality rental housing units will be developed and 1,823 sq. ft of commercial space to cater to local professionals and residents. This project received $3.8 million from Homes and Community Renewal, including $989,000 in annual Low income Housing Tax Credits with additional funds from HOME funds and Community Investment Funds.

These three funding awards will increase Housing Visions’ total community investments to nearly $340 million in 26 years.